Bar and wire-rope clip.



E. 0. KEATOR.

BAR AND WIRE ROPE CLIP.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 3. 1917.

Patented My 17, 1917.

Wifmsses:

ouuiou.

EDWARD O. KEATOR, 0F CINCINNATI, OHIO.

BAR AND WIRE-ROPE CLIP.

meaaee.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July It, 191W.

Application filed February 3, 1917. Serial No. 146,315.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EDWARD O. KEATOR, citizen of the United States of America, and resident of Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Bar and "Wiredhlope Clips, of which the following i a specification.

An object of my invention is to produce an improved bar and rope clip whlch will grip the bars or ropes held thereby more firmly than other clips known to me, and without damaging them.

A further object is to produce a clip for bars or ropes, in which the bolts employed for bindin the bar or rope-gripping elements of the clip together, are relieved of bending or twisting strains, all strains tending to produce bending or twisting of the bolts, being converted into direct tensional strains.

These and other objects are attained in the clip described in the following specification and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a clip embodying my invention and mounted in position on two rods shown in fragmental perspective.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the clip shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a clip shoe forming a detail of the clip illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmental sectional View taken on the line 4'4: of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a sectional View taken on the line 55 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a clip embodying my invention. but adapted for use in clamping together ropes instead of rods.

Fig. 7 is an end elevation of the clip shown'in Fig. 6. I I

Fig. 8 is a sectional. elevation of a modi fled form of clip embodying my invention.

My improved clip consists of a U-shaped bolt 7 adapted to receive between its branches the rods to be clamped together.

At the base of. the belt a shoe 8 is pivotally mounted, this shoe having a corrugated surface 9 for the purpose 0 gripping the surface of one of ,the rods locatedbetween the branches'lO and 11 of the bolt. Surface 9 is not only corrugated, but also is shaped to conform to the contour of the rods located between the branches of the bolt. In

addition to this the corrugations extend to each side of the center of the shoe so as to engage the surface of the rod in engagement therewith, with equal gripping power, whether the shoe be rocked to one side or the other when tension is exerted upon the rods. The branches 10 and 11 of the bolt are screw threaded to receive adjustment nuts 12 and 13 which are provided for the purpose of bringing a block 14: mounted upon the branches, into engagement with the rods located between it and the shoe. Block 14: is provided with two apertures 15 and 16 adapted to receive the branches 10 and 11 of bolt 7, these apertures being formed so as to permit rocking movement of the block with relation to the bolts, the ends 17 and 18 of the aperture being enlarged with relation to the central portion 19. The enlargements 17 and 18 at the ends of the apertures 15 and 16, are elliptical in shape, as disclosed in Fig. 5, the greatest dimension of these elliptical enlargements extending in a direction transversely ofthe block. This permits the block to have but one rocking motion, and enables it to assume the position disclosed in Fig. 1 when tension is brought to bear upon the rods in the direction indicated by the arrows. In order to facilitate this 'inoveinent with relation to, the branches 10 and 11 of the bolt 7, the surface 20 against which the nuts 12 and 13 bear, is also rounded so that the block may rock freely over the surfaces of the nuts. The rod-engaging surface 21 of the block 14 is formed in a similar manner to surface 9 of shoe 8, corrugations being formed therein for gripping the rod more firmly.

In this improved form of clip the shoe as well as the block will rock upon the U-bolt mounting them so asto bring their corrugated surfaces into increasing gripping engagement with the surfaces of the rods as increased tension is brought to bear upon the rods. This rocking movement relieves the boltof all twisting or bending strains and subjects it only to direct tensional strains, thus increasing its strength materially over other rod or rope clips known to me;

In Figs. 6 and 7 my improved rod or rope clip is shownas-being particularly adapted for use with ropes or cables, the corrugations 22 of the shoe 23 and corrugations 24 of the block being formed to conformwith the .convolutions of the strands used in the rope or cable construction. This is for the purpose of increasing the gripping engagement of the clip with the ropes it is adapted to connect. Another feature designed to adapt this form of my improved clip for use more particularly with ropes, lies in the provision of lugs or prongs 26 which extend around and beyond the sides of the ropes so as to prevent their being flattened when the nuts 27 and 28 are tightened to grip them firmly. This maintains the shape of the ropes or cables and holds them to the shape of the corrugations 22 and 24 formed in the shoe and block, thus precluding any tendency for them to slip when clamped together. As in the construction disclosed in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, the apertures through which the legs 29 and 30 of the bolt 31 pass, are provided with en larged ends which are elongated in the same manner as disclosed in Fig. 4, the nut engaging surface 32 of the block also being rounded in the same manner that surface 20 of the reviously described construction is rounded: to facilitate rocking movement of the block upon the surface of nuts 27 and 28 against which it bears. Such a rocking movement of the block. and the shoe 23 occurs when the ro es are subjected to tension as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 6.

In Fig. 8 a modified form of construction is-disclosed, the block, instead of being provided with a convexly rounded nut-engaging surface, being provided with concave nut-engaging surfaces 33 adapted to receive convexly headed adjustment nuts'35 mounted uponeach branch of the bolt. This construction, in effect gives the same rocking movement as obtained in the previously de scribed constructions, so as torelieve the bolt of any twisting or bending strains to which it may be subjected.

When tenslon is brought to bear upon the rods or. ropes gripped by the clip, the tendency is for the bolt of the clip to assume an inclined position as-disclosed in Figs. 1 and 6. I However in assuming this position the bolt is not subjected to the slightest of bending or torsional strains, any strains tending to produce such an action, being converted into direct tensional strains and thus acting upon the bolt in subjecting it to strains acting in directions of the greatest strength thereof.

An additional feature of my invention lies in the formation of the rod or rope engaging surface'of the shoe 8, eccentric to the pivotal center thereof, so that when the shoe is rocked, its ends, as they approach the surface of the rod or rope, will bear with increasing pressure upon the rods or ropes. This is most important in that this increased gripping movement of the cam-like shoe aids the natural tendency of the bolt to gri the rods or ropes tighter when it is broug t to a greater and greater inclination upon subjecting the rods or ropes to tension.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A rod or rope clip comprising a U- shaped bolt, a blockreciprocally mounted on the branches of the bolt and adapted to have rocking movement thereon, and nuts adjustably mounted on the branches, adapted to bring the block into clamping engagement with the rods or ropes located between the branches.

2. A rod or rope clip comprising a U- shaped bolt, a shoe rotatively mounted at the base of the bolt, a block reciprocally mounted on the branches of the bolt and adapted to have rocking movement thereon, and nuts adjustably mounted on the branches, adapted to bring the block into clamping engagement with the rods or ropes located between the branches and between the block and the shoe.

3. A rod or rope clip comprising a U- shaped bolt, a block having apertures formed therein adapted to receive the branches of the bolt and havin the ends of the apertures elongated to facilitate rocking movement of the block with relation to the bolt, and nuts adjustably mounted on the branches, adapted to bring the block into clamping engagement with the rods or ropes located between the branches.

4. A rod or rope clip comprising a U- shaped bolt, a block having apertures formed therein and adapted to receive-the branches of the bolt, said apertures having their ends enlarged to facilitate rocking movement of the block with relation to the bolt, a shoe rotatively mounted at the base of the'bolt, and nuts adjustably mounted on the branches, adapted to bring the block into clampin engagement with the rods or ropes located between the branches and between the block and the shoe.

A rod or rope clip comprising a U- shaped bolt, a block reciprocally mounted on the branches of the bolt and adapted to have rocking movement thereon, and nuts adjusta'bly mounted on the branches, adapted to bring the block'into clamping engagement with the rods or ropes located between the branches, the nut engaging surface of the block being curved to facilitate rocking movement of the block on the bolt when held by the nuts in clamping engagement with rods or ropes located between the branches.

6. A rod or rope clip comprising a U- shaped bolt, a shoe rotatively mounted on the bolt at its base, a block reciprocally mounted on the branches of the bolt and in spaced relation to the shoe, adapted to have rocking movement thereon, and nuts adjustably mounted on the branches, adapted to bring the block into clamping en agement with the rods or ropes located between the branches and between the block and the shoe, the nut contacting surface of the block being curved to-facilitate rocking movement thereof when rocked upon the branches 7. A rod or rope clip comprising a 'U shaped bolt, a shoe rotatively mounted at the base of the bolt, a block reciprocally mounted on the branches of the bolt, and

nuts adjustably 'mounted on the branches,

adapted to bring the block into clamping engagement with rods or ropes located be tween the branches and between the block and shoe.

8. A'rod or rope clip comprising a U- shaped bolt, a shoe rotatively mounted at thebase or the bolt, a block reciprocally mounted on the branches of the bolt, and nuts adjustably mounted on the branches, adapted to bring the block into clamping engagement with rods or ropes located between the branches and between the block and shoe, the rod and rope engaging surface of the shoe being formed eccentric to Lnwrs FHDEWOLF, W. L. LnNFns'rEY. 

